


Experience Matters

by HoneydeWinter



Category: Age Matters (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Enthusiastic Consent, F/M, Fluff, Food, Smut, Social Anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:08:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28095180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoneydeWinter/pseuds/HoneydeWinter
Summary: Rose's catering company is in trouble when Yura flakes and disappears. Luckily, Yura knows a very talented (and way too good-looking) substitute, Daniel Yoon.
Relationships: Rose Choi/Daniel Yoon
Comments: 17
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> These are not my characters; they belong to the very talented Enjelicious.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose is thirsty.

Rose sat hunched at her desk, staring at the price list before her. Was $15 per person too much or too little for a dim sum buffet? How many dipping sauces would it be cost-effective to include? Rose would offer every sauce if she could, just to see the delight on people’s faces, but Yura definitely wouldn’t. And Yura was the real reason why Cater To Me was successful at all. _Think like Yura,_ Rose reminded herself. _What would Yura do?_

Rose leaned back in her uncomfortable chair and groaned. She loved making new menus and experimenting with dishes for their catering company, but deciding portion prices and the amount of inventory to keep on hand made her head swim and sink. Rose was the creative type, not a businesswoman. The business side of things was usually Yura’s job, but of course Yura had to be taking a break from their catering company right now. 

Two weeks ago, Rose had been prepping bruschetta for a large catering order when she heard loud footsteps skipping down the hallway.

“I’m getting married, I’m getting married, I’m getting married!” Yura yelled as she burst into the company’s large kitchen and grabbed both of Rose’s hands. “Rose, it’s happening!” Yura was a lively person most days, but that day her energy was turned up to eleven. She was a bundle of puffy brown hair and excitement as she thrust her left hand into Rose’s face. “Look, Jim proposed!”

“That’s great, Yura. Congratulations!” Rose tried her best to hug Yura and wipe sticky bread dough from her hands simultaneously. “Sorry, give me just a second.” Rose quickly washed her hands and turned her full attention to Yura. “Okay, let’s try that again. Ahhhh, congrats! I’m so excited for you. Let me see the ring!”

Yura giggled, splaying out her left hand again. “Ta-da! You like?” Rose had to admit that the emerald-cut sapphire was just like Yura: a little quirky, but still delicate. She was overjoyed for her best friend, but a little hole in Rose’s heart reminded her of her own ring.

Yura gasped as she saw Rose’s face fall. “Oh god, Rose, I’m so sorry. You okay? I just couldn’t wait to tell you!”

Rose forced a smile. “I love it, Yura. And that thing with Jackson was really over for a long time before I noticed. I’m totally fine. You and Jim are going to be so happy, I’m really excited for you!”

Yura frowned. “As long as you’re sure you’re okay. Anyway, I’m getting married, I’m getting married!” She twirled around in a mad circle, chanting the same thing over and over, her enormous purse almost swiping a bowl from Rose’s work table.

“Hey, watch it!” Rose laughed; she could never be sad for long when Yura was around. “So, when’s the wedding? And do you want us to cater? It’d be on the house,” Rose winked.

Yura stopped in her tracks and looked Rose straight in the eye. “Okay, so here’s the thing. Jim has a really big family, right? And mine is just me and my dad, so, we’re gonna have the wedding where his family lives. At the end of the summer, three states away....”

Rose shrugged. “Okay, so we probably won’t cater. That’s fine--”

“And the other thing is that I’m going there for the whole summer to get to know his family and plan the wedding and I won’t be here and I’m really really sorry Rose.” Yura said in one big breath.

Anger filled Rose’s heart for a brief moment before she looked into Yura’s big, pleading gray eyes. Rose took a deep breath. _Yura always does her own thing anyway, and I can never talk her out of it, so I might as well go along with whatever she wants to do._ “Yura, you know I’m upset. But let’s skip that for now. _What about the business?_ I can’t run it by myself for months and months, what are you thinking?”

Yura’s sad puppy dog face immediately brightened again. “It’s okay, I’ll get a business manager while I’m gone! I used to work for this one guy, I think he’d be really good for you. And like, for the company and stuff. He’s a lot to get used to, but he knows what he’s doing,” Yura bubbled. “Yay yay yay! I’m getting married, I’m getting married!” Rose had sighed and hugged Yura again, deciding to press the details later. And then they had talked about the wedding, and then Yura had gotten on a plane, and here Rose was two weeks later, drowning in a pile of paperwork and decisions for which she wasn’t remotely qualified.

“Yura, you’re killing me. Where’s that damn business manager when you need him?!” Rose wailed, slamming her head down on the desk. The stack of papers in front of her cushioned the blow, but not by much, and she whined from the pain.

“Right here,” stated a clipped voice behind her. Rose whirled around.

“What? I must have hit my head harder than I thought,” Rose mumbled as she goggled at the man in the doorway. “I’d climb him like a tree, there’s no way he’s real.” The man did look too good to be true. His cologne wafted toward her, something that smelled of the Mediterranean and sharp lemon. It made Rose shiver. 

Everything about him indicated power. The lean muscles straining at the seams of his tailored suit, his sharp jawline, and his intense eyes immediately demanded Rose’s attention. Even his voice had been controlled, but confident. The only thing that didn’t match was his poof of fluffy blond hair. Her fingers ached to pet it. How did he manage to look like a puppy and a wolf simultaneously? It was impossible for such perfection to be real. The stress of running Cater To Me alone had obviously gotten to Rose. Since Rose had lost her mind anyway, she might as well have a little fun...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagine that Daniel's cologne would be something understated but delicious, like Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue.


	2. Chapter 2

Daniel studied the frowning woman before him with exasperation. How could it possibly be this difficult to get anyone’s attention?! He had knocked at the office door, cleared his throat, tried to shuffle into her line of vision, and nothing. He’d done everything short of shaking her, but she still seemed totally oblivious of his presence. The paperwork in front of her must have been too enthralling. Though Daniel didn’t even know how she could think straight, burrowed as she was in a precarious nest of pink sticky notes, brochures, and piles of untidy binders. Her greenish-black hair was haphazardly twisted up and impaled by...a sparkly pen with a pink puff on the end? This was Rose Choi, Yura’s brilliant business partner? 

Daniel had heard a lot about Ms. Choi in the past few years. Yura Han had been working for him when she’d announced her intention to start a catering business with her best friend. Daniel had been aghast at the thought; Yura had once literally burned cereal (by leaving the box on a forgotten burner, but still). How could she be thinking of working in any kind of food service? Yura had crumpled up in laughter when Daniel voiced his concern.

“Mr. Yoon - Daniel? I’mma call you Daniel now, since I’m leaving - I’m not planning on touching the food more than I have to. Def not gonna do anything with fire, so don’t you worry. I just love Rose and how much she loves food, and I really wanna help! We’re tired of working for other people instead of ourselves. And Rose is amazing, the things she can do with chocolate - yum! You’ll have to come by and try her food sometime, it’ll put a smile on even your face. Rose is magic with food, so I just have to handle the numbers and it’ll be smooth sailing.” Yura had beamed at him, and he had been too speechless to refute her. Restaurants and catering businesses were risky to start, but Yura could probably handle it. Her MBA and years of helping her parents keep the books for their business were an excellent start.

Daniel found Yura Han endlessly silly, but her bubbly facade hid keen business sense and a ruthless mind. Yura’s capability was the only reason why Daniel had agreed to help with Cater To Me during her absence. Perhaps Ms. Choi’s personality would be a similar bait-and-switch, but contemplating the woman in front of him, who was fiddling with a teddy-bear shaped eraser, Daniel found it highly dubious.

At least she was somewhat interesting to observe. Daniel could only see Ms. Choi’s profile, but he had to admit she was very striking. The green sheen to her black hair was certainly unusual; could it possibly be natural? Her pale lavender blouse brought out the roses in her cheeks. A pair of flats under the desk matched her blouse, but they were kicked aside, her legs tucked under her in the chair. She was currently frowning, but her full mouth looked as though it often smiled. Ms. Choi looked fresh and radiant and blooming, which was exactly the opposite of Daniel’s current feelings.

She may have been objectively attractive, but Daniel's patience was running thin. Just as he was about to reach out and tap Ms. Choi on the shoulder, she slammed her head on the desk and yelled, “Yura, you’re killing me. Where’s that damn business manager when you need him?!”

Daniel almost smiled. What impeccable timing. “Right here,” he said.

Ms. Choi quickly turned to face him. “What? Hit my head…. Climb…. No way he’s real,” she mumbled under her breath. Daniel only caught every fourth or fifth word, but this woman seemed almost as silly as Yura. His assumption was proven correct when she jumped up from her chair and reached up to pet his head. He steeled himself to keep from flinching at her touch. She cooed in a low, warm voice as she stroked his hair. This woman’s actions were wholly inappropriate, but rather pleasant.

“Even softer than I thought it would be,” Daniel heard her whisper. His heart thudded strangely for a moment at the closeness of her before he remembered where they were.

He cleared his throat. “Ms. Choi, I’m assuming? As warm as this welcome may be, it’s not very professional. Please remove your hands.” Daniel’s voice was perhaps a bit sharper than necessary, but it worked. Ms. Choi whipped her hands away from him as though she had been burned.

“Oh!” She gasped. “I’m so sorry! For some reason…. Never mind. I hope we can start over and pretend that never happened.” She stepped back, cheeks aflame, and awkwardly held out one hand. “Hi. I’m Rose Choi, and apparently you’re the business manager that Yura found?”

Daniel pressed his lips together tightly. It would be very difficult to forget the past few minutes, but it would only be proper to try. “Yes, Daniel Yoon,” he said as he briefly shook the proffered hand. “Since I’m here, I’d like to get started. If you don’t mind.”

“Of course!” Ms. Choi smiled, leaning aside to put on her flats. Daniel moved toward the small desk, hoping to start by perusing the business’s books, but Ms. Choi stepped gracefully past Daniel and out the door of the small office.

Daniel’s brow wrinkled. “Ms. Choi, isn’t this the office? Why would we be leaving?”

Her eyes crinkled in amusement. “To meet your coworkers, of course! You’re going to be here for a few months, after all. Don’t worry, everyone who works here is great.”

Before Daniel could react, she was already in the adjoining kitchen. It was spacious, lined with enormous ovens on one wall and the doors to a walk-in fridge on another. Shining work tables and industrial-sized stand mixers filled the rest of the room. Quiet jazz played from an old stereo near the dish-washing station, and the scent of fresh-baked pastries lingered in the air. Daniel was curious to look around more, but he had to pick up the pace to catch up with Ms. Choi as she neared the far end of the large room. It was beyond him how anyone so short could move so fast.

“Pommie!” called Ms. Choi, slinging her arm around a young man’s shoulders. He almost dropped the piping bag he was holding, but laughed instead. “I have someone I’d like you to meet!” Daniel stared as the young man (Pommie, was it?) peered around Ms. Choi to inspect him. Pommie was the most adorable person Daniel had ever seen. His welcoming eyes and warm smile resembled a Pomeranian more than anything else.

“Lyn, Shirley!” Ms. Choi called to two other workers peering at an oven nearby. “Come here and meet someone!”

“This is Mr. Yoon,” Ms. Choi announced when the other two employees had come closer. “Since I do better with food than with numbers, he’ll be taking Yura’s place for the time being. Mr. Yoon, this is Pom, Lyn, and Shirley. They help with both prep and events, so I’m sure you’ll all be seeing a lot of each other.” Pom beamed at Daniel from under Ms. Choi’s arm. 

“Nice to meet you,” Daniel nodded at each of them.

“Welcome!” Lyn said. She seemed just as bright and cheerful as the pink hair poking out from under her hat. Shirley seemed a bit quieter, but she smiled warmly at Daniel too.

Ms. Choi clapped her hands. “Shall we all have lunch together to welcome Mr. Yoon? My treat!”

Daniel paled. This was already far too much social interaction for his liking. He had expected accounting software and piles of receipts, not a whole team of coworkers. “No, thank you. I’m not hungry, and there’s a lot to do. I’m sure we’ll catch up another time.” He spun on his heel and caught his ankle on one of the large metal work tables in the process, but hobbled back to the office in record time anyway.

Daniel shut the door behind him and leaned against it. Sweet relief. He’d rather spend all day figuring out Yura’s system on his own than spend one hour surrounded by new and curious faces.

* * * *

Yura’s system did not turn out to be the problem. The books for Cater To Me were in perfect order, until a date about two weeks ago. _When Yura left,_ Daniel guessed. After that point, the accounting software became a maze of mixed-up debits and credits, strange abbreviations, and receipts for an inordinate amount of glitter. Daniel had even had to loosen his tie in frustration as he began to sift through Ms. Choi’s nonsensical accounting. He knew she hadn’t had any business training, but the mangled-up knots she had made were absurd. It took a few hours, but he had almost sorted everything out when he heard a soft knock at the office door. He turned to see Ms. Choi leaning against the open doorway, plate in hand. 

“Mr. Yoon, could you try something for me?” She smiled, but Daniel thought she seemed a bit concerned.

“No, thank you. I usually don’t eat between meals.”

“Oh…. You see, Yura usually helps me with new bakes. I could really use some feedback. Um, this one’s a pain au chocolat. I’m testing a new version. Usually there’s sticks of chocolate in the middle, but I thought it could be improved.”

“You’re trying to improve on hundreds of years of culinary tradition? _French_ culinary tradition, no less?” Daniel took the plate from Ms. Choi’s hand and set it aside. He’d take it, but he had no reason to eat it. He was here to work.

“Why not? I like chocolate, but I needed there to be more of it. So instead of the sticks of chocolate, I slathered the inside with hazelnut spread and chocolate shavings. Try it!” Ms. Choi persisted, so Daniel grudgingly broke off a corner of the flaky pastry and popped it into his mouth. His eyes widened as the flavors played on his tongue. Smooth hazelnut, rich butter, and bittersweet dark chocolate wove together, creating an irresistibly blissful harmony. The flakiness of the croissant was unbelievable; maybe Yura had been right about Ms. Choi’s culinary magic.

“Oh,” Daniel murmured. “I suppose there is something to be said for breaking with tradition. It’s quite good.” He shut his eyes, savoring the taste as he took another bite. He opened his eyes again to see Ms. Choi’s face, much closer to his than he would have liked. She regarded him with an anticipation that both thrilled and terrified him.

“Really? Would you change anything?”

“N-no.” Daniel stuttered, ripping his eyes from hers.

“Great! Oh, you’ve got something on your face. Let me get it.” Ms. Choi slid the napkin from underneath the pain au chocolat and dabbed at a corner of Daniel’s mouth. He hardly dared to breathe. How could she possibly be so comfortable with him? Was she like this with everyone?

“Got it.” Ms. Choi smiled, quick and sharp and fleeting. “I’m pleased you liked it, I’ll have to add it to our menu.” She stepped away from Daniel, closed her eyes, and stretched her arms in the air. He admired the lines of her body. He felt a bit lightheaded, maybe even a little drunk. Could there possibly have been alcohol in the pain au chocolat? No, Ms. Choi would have mentioned that.

“I’ll need a taste tester pretty often, so I’m glad you’re so willing. Early day for me tomorrow, so I’ll head out now. See you!” Ms. Choi waved at Daniel and left the office, shutting the door behind her. 

Daniel sat back in his chair, glancing at the half-eaten croissant beside him. This woman might be an accounting nightmare, but she was an excellent baker. _And she’s not bad-looking at all-- no, stop that. She is your employer. You must remain professional._

Still, Daniel couldn’t help smiling as he reached for the pain au chocolat and took another flaky, flavorful bite. He had been dreading taking Yura’s place at Cater to Me, but he began to think it might not be all bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pain au chocolat tastes amazing, but it's a beast to make. You know Rose's arms must be ripped to deal with all that lamination.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut (just a little, as a treat). Rose is a boss.

His mouth latched onto her neck as he marked his territory. Her skin rippled with pleasure and pain. His lips grazed her neck and found her lips again as his hands moved beneath her dress. Sure hands stroked and rubbed ever closer to the sensitive spot between her legs as she moaned. She felt him stiffen against her leg as they kissed. He growled slightly, pressing against her even harder.  _ He wants me so badly.  _ Her eyes flew open as one long finger finally slid inside and Rose gasped in dark delight. Hungry brown eyes stared into her own. “Oh, Daniel,” she purred.

Rose’s eyes flew open again, but for an entirely different reason.  _ What…. Did I just have a sex dream about Daniel Yoon?  _ She sat up in bed, her heart pounding.  _ I mean, he’s hot, but where the hell did that come from? _

Of course Rose was attracted to him (who wouldn’t be?), but she wasn’t in a place to consider romance. The loneliness in her bed was a fair price to pay to avoid having her heart broken again. Rose shook her head and pushed her dream far, far away. She stared at the sage green walls of her bedroom, the stack of cookbooks on her nightstand, and her favorite octopus plushie in an attempt to bring herself back to reality. 

Time to get ready for work. She lurched out of bed and quickly ate breakfast, waking as she went. Rose almost slid on a pair of jeans, but reached for a figure-hugging wrap dress instead. In the few days he’d been working at Cater to Me,Daniel had barely looked twice at her anyway, but he made her feel vulnerable. She needed to look her best. Some lipstick wouldn’t hurt. But it was purely for her own self-confidence, not Daniel’s stupid sexy face.

Unfortunately, his stupid sexy face was the first she saw when Rose arrived at work that morning. Instead of being shut up in the small office, Daniel sat at a work table just outside, two steaming drinks placed before him. He seemed perfectly incongruous, like a flawless Greek statue dropped in the midst of an industrial kitchen.  _ I wonder if he’s as good a kisser as he was in my dream… no, don’t think about that! _

“Morning, Mr. Yoon,” Rose said as she reached for an apron and studiously avoided eye contact. She couldn’t help noticing how his blazer strained across his folded arms, though. Would her hands even meet over his biceps? Why was a business manager so ripped anyway?

“Ms. Choi. Would you like some coffee?” Daniel asked. She tried to read him, but his usual dumb poker face refused to budge. He sighed and held out one of the coffees for her to take.

“You do drink coffee, don’t you? If not, I’m sure someone else will drink it.” She still couldn’t read him, but he was beginning to sound vexed.  _ He must find me so irritating, _ she thought.  _ Not that it really matters, but do your best to fix that, Rose. _

“Oh no, I do! I was just surprised. Um, thank you.” Rose wrapped both hands around the coffee and took it from him, savoring its warmth in her cold hands.

“Don’t you want to sit down and drink your coffee?”

“Sure, I just didn’t want to bother you. You don’t seem like a big talker,” she explained, plunking down on the stool across from Daniel.

He lifted one eyebrow. “No, I suppose not. I don’t care for large groups of people, or for small talk. I find it unnecessary.” 

Rose nodded and sipped her coffee. A dark bitterness wove through her mouth, tempered by something warm and buttery. “Mmm, what is this?”

“It’s a caramel macchiato. You seem to like sweets, and I thought you wouldn’t mind the amount of espresso. Most of your catering menus speak to a highly sophisticated palate. And I know it’s not Yura Han.” 

Rose grinned. “No, and I always tease her for that. Not everyone wants to eat the same five foods for the rest of their life. I hope her fiance chooses the menu for the reception, instead of Yura. . . Mr. Yoon, you pay more attention than I thought you did.”

“Call it an educated guess.” Rose was probably imagining it, but his expression looked a tad softer in the morning sunlight.  _ Maybe I don’t irritate him as much as I thought _ . Rose smiled.

“I wonder what you’ll notice next?” She paused, hearing the clatter of shoes and Pom’s cheery voice in the hall. “That’ll be everyone else. We have an event tonight, so there’s lots to do. Thanks again for the coffee, Mr. Yoon,” Rose called over her shoulder as she hurried to meet everyone else. It had already been such a strange day, but Rose felt the tension in her shoulders lessen as she made a mental to-do list for the event that night. She knew exactly what to do.

* * * *

Daniel had never felt more out of place in his life. He had emerged from the office after a few hours of work to find the kitchen a whirlwind of activity. Shirley was patiently filling cream puffs, Lyn removed trays of mini quiche from the oven, and Pom was trying to chop crudite and heat a pot of heavy cream simultaneously. Ms. Choi was frosting tiers and tiers of mini cupcakes. Above it all, the radio blasted music that was probably meant to be soothing, but Daniel found it overstimulating. Too much noise, too much heat, and too much that he just didn’t understand.

Daniel strode over and switched off the radio. The kitchen still wasn’t silent, but it was a vast improvement. “What is going on out here? I know I’ve only been here a few days, but I’ve never seen you all work like this before.”

“Well, we haven’t had a client tell us day-of that they need double the amount of food for their event, either,” Ms. Choi grumbled, never lifting her eyes from her work.

“What? That’s unacceptable. The contract should--” Daniel needed to tell Ms. Choi exactly how she’d gone wrong when drafting the contract, or else she’d never learn. But before he could explain, she gasped and dropped her piping bag.

“Pom, the ganache! The cream is boiling over!” Pom yelped and leaped to switch off the burner before shaking easily a pound of chopped chocolate into the waiting pot and stirring like his life depended on it.

“It’s fine! Just in time, Rose,” Pom reassured her. She sighed in relief before turning back to the man in front of her. “Okay. Did you have any other concerns you thought were imperative enough to bring up right now?” Daniel could see wide-eyed Shirley shaking her head at him, motioning him to stop, but he forged ahead. He was here to teach Ms. Choi about business, and that’s exactly what he decided to do.

“There wasn’t a day-of clause clarified in the original contract? It should be ironclad, with a stipulation that there will be an additional fee for any rush requests. Don’t you have any experience in writing contracts Ms. Choi? No wonder Cater To Me has such consistently low profit margins.” Daniel scoffed. 

Ms. Choi finally looked Daniel in the eye, and he flinched at the intensity of her glare. How could such a cheery looking person become so scary? Had she been a warlord in a former life?

“The contract was clarified to my satisfaction at the time of signing. It isn’t the client’s fault that they were surprised with additional guests. They are going to pay us the appropriate price difference. We are going to do our best to feed everyone and make these people happy, which is really all we can do. Are you going to help or are you going to stand there and criticize my business,  _ Mr. Yoon _ ? If you’re going to be so harsh, I’d rather you leave.”

It felt like everyone was staring at Daniel and Ms. Choi. He felt the air seeping out of his lungs. He was right about the contract, but obviously that wasn’t what they needed at the moment. Daniel pushed aside his own feelings and got ready to swallow his pride.

“What can I do to help?”

“Go help Lyn cool the quiche. And turn the radio back on, we liked it.”

Sheepish Daniel quickly shucked off his blazer and did as he was told. Maybe he could try talking to Ms. Choi again later? On the other hand, maybe he had better not.

* * * *

Rose sighed as she entered work the next morning. She had gone with Shirley and Simon, their part-timer, to deliver the doubled catering order to the engagement party last night. Some of the food definitely looked rushed, but the clients were overjoyed and apologized profusely. They’d even earned a hefty tip and a great online review. Rose had known everything would be okay, so why had she lashed out so at Mr. Yoon? And why had he been so outrageously critical? She had hoped they could be friends, especially after he brought her coffee yesterday, but she resigned herself to keeping it professional. He was only temporary, after all. At least, that’s what she was thinking until she saw Daniel, again perched on a stool with two steaming coffees in front of him. Despite her turbulent feelings, he was still so handsome that he took her breath away.

“Mr. Yoon? I’m surprised you’re not already in the office, trying to raise our pathetic profit margins.” Rose cringed as the barb left her mouth. Why couldn’t she ever think before she spoke?!

He seemed to slump for a moment, but perhaps it was only her imagination. He pushed one of the cups toward her. “Perhaps after coffee, Ms. Choi. I hope you’ll forgive me for the spectacle I made of myself yesterday and my unhelpful comments. I know it wasn’t the right time, nor the right tone.” His intense eyes finally met hers. Did he look sad? Perhaps he had been more hurt by their tiff yesterday than she’s realized. 

Rose sighed. “Thanks, Mr. Yoon. I accept your apology.”

“Daniel.”

“Hmm?” Rose almost choked on her coffee. 

“You can call me Daniel if you like. Everyone else here goes by their first names.” Daniel didn’t look at her, but he was definitely blushing. 

“Okay. Thanks, Daniel.” Rose smiled into her coffee, unaware that Daniel was doing the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started writing this just for good practice, but I'm REALLY starting to like where it's going. I hope you are too!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel has a new obsession. An exciting new man enters Rose's life.

Before Daniel knew it, Rose Choi was haunting roughly his every third thought. He of course thought of her at work; Cater To Me was her business, and she was involved in every aspect. Daniel thought of her when he walked past the haze of jasmine at the end of his street; its heady fragrance reminded him of her. Did she like to dance? He thought she’d be good at it, she always seemed so graceful to him. He thought of her when he read late at night, wondering if she would enjoy his favorite books as much as he did. He caught himself staring at his image in mirrors, trying to assess himself through Rose’s eyes. Was she perhaps thinking of him too?

All of these thoughts were purely platonic, of course. Occasionally the desire to see her below him on his bed, flushed and smiling, would creep past his defenses, but Daniel banished those thoughts as soon as they came. (This seemed to happen more and more frequently, much as it annoyed him.) He was to be professional above all else, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to stay away from Rose Choi.

  
  


* * * *

Rose sighed with relief as she stepped into Enji’s, the crew’s favorite bar and grill. The bat mitzvah they had worked had been easy, as the crowd happily devoured everything they had brought and the event even ended early. So Rose hadn’t hesitated when Simon had insisted everyone go out for a drink after. She was always happy to go to Enji’s. The food was decent, drink specials were frequent, and the staff were always good about getting rid of bothersome patrons. She paused in the entryway, savoring the low hum of conversation, before Simon jogged up behind her.

“Rose, hey! Just you?”

“Yeah, only takes one person to leave the van at work.”

“Oh, right. Too bad Daniel couldn’t come, though. He looks like he could do with a drink.”

Rose laughed as she scanned the room. “He should probably loosen up a little, right? But he was saying something about the month-end close, so I think it was important. Maybe next time.”

“You know, he looks really familiar. Has he worked here before?”

“No, you just met when he helped load the van the other night, remember?”

“Oh...right. Guess I forgot.” Simon didn’t look entirely convinced, but he was quickly distracted when they reached their favorite corner booth.

“Hey handsome, why so serious?” Shirley called out, offering her cheek to Simon. He slid into the booth and kissed it, looping one arm around her. Rose rolled her eyes, but just a little; the PDA could sometimes be too much, but they were cute overall.

“Nothin’, just talking about Daniel. Would’ve been nice if he came out with us, I wanted to get to know him,” Simon responded nonchalantly, reaching over to steal one of Shirley’s fries. “Oooh, these are good. Not as good as their nachos, though. Def gettin’ some of those.”

“I’m pretty sure Rose can tell you whatever you want to know about Daniel. She might could get him to come next time, too.” Lyn winked lazily across the table at Rose as she sipped her frozen margarita.

“What are you talking about? He’s only worked here for a couple weeks, it’s not like we’re best friends,” Rose grumbled, burying her face in a menu.

Pom shrugged. “She has a point. You guys have coffee together every morning and he never talks to anyone else.”

“Really? He must like you, even if it’s not in a romantic way,” Simon agreed.

Lyn grinned conspiratorially. “But what if it is? You know I like girls, but if I didn’t, you can bet I’d be trying to get a date with that tall drink of water. Why don’t you?” Pom had unfortunately just taken a sip of his drink when he couldn’t help but snigger at Lyn’s comment. Rose stopped to thump him on the back before responding.

“What?! I mean, I’m technically his boss. That’s inappropriate. And I’m not looking for anything right now, just focusing on myself and the business.” Rose huffed. “Shut up and let’s order already. You know I’d tell you if there was anything going on anyway, it’s nothing.”

“Methinks the lady doth protest too much!” Shirley giggled. “But as long as she buys the next round, it’s alright by me.”

Rose sighed, hiding a grin. “Fine. But remember not to drink too much, we have that thing tomorrow night.” She slid out of their booth again, and wove through the crowd to put in their orders. She stared around the room, waiting for the bartender to finish Simon’s complicated drink.  _ Why does he always have to order a mint julep? The muddling makes it so much more work,  _ she thought.  _ At least the longer I stay away, the less they’ll talk about Daniel.  _ She smiled for a moment, remembering that morning. He had brought her coffee again, as usual. He always seemed so proud when he brought it to her, as if it meant something special to him.  _ How cute. _

A hard shoulder bumping against hers woke Rose from her musings.

“Hey, that hurt!” Rose complained automatically before looking up to see the man next to her. She would have called him out on bumping her no matter what she looked like, but of course he had to be hot. Rose’s eyes couldn’t help tracing the lines of his tight T-shirt, clinging as it was to every defined line of his abs. Sharp gray eyes glanced at her in shock, before smoothing over her again with something like appreciation.

He smiled at her now, a devastatingly warm and handsome smile. “Sorry about that, didn’t see ya there. But now that I’m lookin’...wow, did it hurt when you fell from heaven?”

Rose scoffed, trying to hide her smile. Such a cliche pickup line, but he said it so sincerely. “Do you always get punched when you use that pick-up line?”

“Usually, but luckily for me, it looks like you’re about to have your hands full. Impeccable timing. Want some help?” Rose glanced down at the tray of drinks the bartender was handing her.  _ He does look strong,  _ she thought, darting a look at his tanned forearms.

She hesitated. “Nah, I’m okay. Should’ve brought a friend to help, but they’re just over there.”

He looked disappointed, like someone had kicked a puppy in front of him. “‘Kay. Since you’re here with friends, I’ll let you talk to them. But I hope to see you again sometime, mystery lady. I’m Dylan, and you are?”

“Rose,” she said, smiling shyly. She wouldn’t have given a stranger her number, but she could leave him her name.

“Ah, Rose. A name almost as lovely as you. Until next time then, Rosie.” He winked and took his beer from the bartender before drifting away again into the crowd. She couldn’t help but watch his ass as he disappeared. In those pants, it was impossible not to. 

* * * *

Daniel perked up the moment he saw Rose enter the kitchen. He’d been a bit worried after she’d told him about going to Enji’s last night, but he told himself that was an overreaction. Rose could take care of herself. He could still feel the tension seeping from his body as she strode across the kitchen, plopping on the stool next to him and thanking him for the coffee.

Unfortunately, all of that tension returned when Rose checked her phone and a look of utter horror flashed across her face.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no….” she began to chant.

“Ms. Choi! Are you alright? What seems to be the matter?”

“Oh no.... Well, Daniel--Cater to Me has a really big job tonight. It was going to be all hands on deck anyway, and everyone but me and Pom are sick. I don’t know what to do. I think we might be doomed.” Rose slumped in her seat until her head rested on the cold work table. Daniel quickly moved her coffee out of the way.

“That seems a touch overdramatic. Are you sure everyone is truly sick? Maybe they are just hungover and could sleep it off before tonight?” He leaned over with Rose, trying to catch her eye. A doom spiral was not what they needed right now.

“No, we didn’t drink that much last night. Everyone knows to take it easy the night before a big job. I even reminded them,” Rose said, sitting up slowly and picking at her nails. A nervous habit, Daniel guessed. “Maybe it was something they ate? I knew the lobster nachos Simon ordered didn’t look right, but I thought I was just being paranoid….”

“If you didn’t have any and you feel fine, the nachos are probably a safe bet. But you said Pom was alright? That’s good, we have him at least. Is there anyone else who can come help?” Daniel asked.  
“My brother Rowan could probably help with prep, but he has class tonight. Daniel, I hate to do this, but could you help us out tonight? I wouldn’t usually ask, but we’re pretty desperate. I can’t do this by myself…” Rose’s face crumpled. Was she about to cry? Daniel panicked and grabbed her hand. He knew Rose was strong, but her hand was so small and so soft. The instinct to care for her overwhelmed him, and he gripped her hand tightly.

“Of course. Anything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SORRY about the filler chapter, but the plot needed some setup. At least Dylan showed up, right? ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel is hot (in every way possible). Ruby Zhao is not here to play.

Rose knew Daniel could be grumpy, but his face had never looked scarier. He had promised that he would do _anything_ to help her, but that had been hours ago, dewy with the fresh optimism of morning. Now, it looked as though squeezing into a too-small catering uniform and toiling through an event with them had not been what he had been thinking by _help_. A permanent scowl had settled on Daniel’s face. Rose had begun to regret asking him, but it had been unavoidable. Even with Rowan and Daniel’s help, it had been a race all day to prepare the mounds of food needed for the event. The four of them had barely finished on time. Rose was still sweating by the time they arrived at the ostentatious venue. She glanced at Daniel, hoping he hadn’t noticed her damp face, but he seemed lost in his own grumpy world as they hustled to unload Cater to Me’s van.

Daniel’s mood may have been unpleasant, but his body was positively sinful. Rose had never seen him in anything but perfectly tailored suits, so seeing him in Simon’s borrowed catering uniform was a revelation. Rose’s eyes were drawn to him as he bent to unpack the van. Daniel still looked as though the uniform had been made for him, but by a slightly perverted tailor who wanted everyone in the room to be intimately familiar with the curve of his behind. The lines of his biceps beckoned Rose to wrap her fingers around them and never let go. _Maybe he should serve tonight,_ Rose thought as they finished unloading. _A handsome waiter might distract everyone if we’re slow._ She was yanked from her own thoughts by the sheer magnitude of the room they entered.

Rose stared in awe at the enormous ballroom before them. Surely it hadn’t been this big during the site walkthrough. Cavernous ceilings echoed with the clack of heels as the event coordinator rushed about the room, straightening tablecloths and checking her clipboard. The heavy buffet tables across one end of the room and the delicate tables dotting the expanse were dwarfed in comparison. Even the grand piano lurking in one corner seemed petite.

“What kind of event is this again?” Pom asked slowly. “It’s bigger than our usual.”

“Some kind of fashion thing. A party to celebrate a new line, I think? I was more concerned with confirming numbers, but I think it was something like that. Um, the kitchen’s this way,” Rose said.

Daniel grunted. _Alright then,_ Rose thought, slightly miffed. _Maybe he shouldn’t serve after all. He’d just scare everyone away._

Daniel’s glower continued as they unpacked in the small kitchen, preheated the ovens, and checked the bar inventory. It only cracked when Rose finished polishing the large silver serving trays and handed one to him.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” Daniel asked, a note of panic creeping into his voice.

“It’s a serving tray,” Rose teased. “You usually put stuff on it and go give it to other people.”

“No, I can’t do that. I'd prefer not to. What if I drop everything or spill a drink on someone? I said I would do anything, but no. I need to trade with you,” Daniel demanded. His outburst was pretty rude ( _especially since he’s talking to his boss_ , Rose reminded herself), but he sounded a little desperate. How strange to hear from bossy, stubborn Daniel.

Rose paused. “Okay... I guess you don’t have any serving experience, and it can be tricky. But that means you’ll need to stay here, have loaded trays ready for when we come back, and ensure that nothing burns. Are you sure you’d rather do that?”

Daniel nodded emphatically. Was he actually trying to look like a kicked puppy, or did that just happen naturally? “Please.”

Rose sighed. “All right. Make us proud.” She took the tray back and mentally prepared herself for a long night of polite smiling and repeatedly telling people what was on the tray. She had wanted to be in the kitchen, but she needed Daniel’s help more than she needed to avoid the crowd.

* * * *

Before Rose had noticed exactly, the party was in full swing. It was exactly the kind of party that Rose might have enjoyed attending, had her life turned out a little differently. Soft music wafted through the crowd, making the enormous room feel comforting, intimate. Stunning people clustered in small groups, sipping and nibbling to their heart’s content. Rose caught shards and snippets of conversation as she moved through the crowd, each so fascinating that she longed to stop and listen. The only thing more captivating than the conversation was the clothes. Scintillating silk and satin clad each body there; nothing but haute couture could be seen. She supposed it made sense, as the party was to celebrate the release of a new fashion line, but Rose had never seen anything so beautiful.

For having such fabulous occupations, most of the people were, blessedly, ordinary looking. Being in a room of models would probably have given Rose a complex, but she could certainly serve champagne and hors d’oeuvres to people that just looked a little better groomed than most.

One woman, however, was exceptionally striking. Intense black lashes blinked over extraordinary teal eyes. The pale pink hair cascading down her back seemed to reflect every beam of light in the room. A glowing silver dress exposed flawless skin and pooled behind her on the floor. She drew Rose’s gaze from across the room, and Rose observed that she was not the only one looking. Pom (and probably half the party) was staring as well. She was a lioness in a room of prey, and her eyes were fixed on tiny, endearing Pom.

 _Do I need to go save him?_ Rose wondered. _She looks kind of mad, but maybe that’s just her face. Maybe she just really wants those bacon-wrapped shrimp._

They were out of earshot, but Rose watched intensely as the woman stopped in front of Pom and stared right back at him. Pom just smiled and proffered her his tray. The woman took nothing, but her face softened slightly, and she spoke to him. Rose was distracted for a moment ( _how dare these people want profiteroles right now?!_ ), and when she looked back, Pom was again smiling shyly at the woman. She smiled back; it was a quick, darting thing, like a shimmering fish disappearing under a stone. The woman handed him a card and disappeared into the crowd. 

_Did she just give him her number?_ Rose muffled a giggle. _Damn, Pom’s got game. Can’t wait to ask him about it._ She sighed and ran back to the kitchen to exchange her empty tray for a full one.

A few minutes later, the intense press of the crowd distracted Rose, and her tray tipped as someone yanked two coupes of champagne from the edge. Rose lunged to steady herself and the tray, heart in her throat. Suddenly, the soft folds of an expensive suit jacket enveloped her, the hard planes of a man’s body pressing against her own as he deftly caught her tray and steadied its contents.

“Hiya, Rosie,” the handsome man said. His polite smirk morphed into a devilish grin as he noticed how tightly she held him. Rose noticed too, flushed with embarrassment, and quickly released him.

“Um...Dylan, right? Thanks, that was kind of amazing. What are you, a magician?” Rose said breathlessly.

“Nah, a model. But I’ve had lots of practice. Takes a while to quit the day job, y’know?” Dylan explained, passing her the drinks tray.

“Oh, that makes sense. Anyway, thanks for the help, but I really have to finish handing these out and get back to the kitchen. We’re pretty slammed.”

“Really? Well, I’m just standing here lookin’ pretty. I could lend you a hand,” Dylan offered.

“And rob everyone else of your presence? I wouldn’t dare,” Rose rolled her eyes.

“Psh, they won’t mind. And I’d look pretty for you any time.” Dylan winked. “For free, too. But in the meantime, I can help. I’ve done all the schmoozin’ I can stand.”

Rose sighed. “If you’re sure you don’t mind, that would be kind of amazing.” She laughed. “I guess let’s get you a tray. Can’t hide that face in the kitchen all night.”

Dylan gestured grandly with one hand. “Lead the way, boss.”

* * * *

Daniel had promised to help Rose with anything (where had that even come from? Daniel Yoon was not a man to make hasty promises), but this was not what he had pictured. Using his superior business acumen to quickly solve a problem? Yes. Throwing stacks of cash at an issue to resolve it? Absolutely. Arranging potstickers on sheet trays and artfully stacking crudité? Not in his wildest dreams.

But he had offered to help Rose. And anything was better than serving. Daniel could handle people (he wasn’t a hermit or anything), but only in small groups. And if he knew who would be there. And if he didn’t have to make too much eye contact or small talk or say things he didn’t mean.

Crowds were the worst. All of the superfluous conversation and peculiar smells and far too much touching. And Ruby was probably attending this event; she had quite a few connections in haute couture. If she saw him stuffed into this ridiculous uniform, trying to avoid eye contact with all her friends, he’d never live it down. Daniel shuddered. No, even being stuck in this hot kitchen in an absurd uniform was better than being among people.

Surely the event would end soon. Then it would be back to just him and Rose and Pom. Daniel was comfortable with that amount of people. He knew that the employees sometimes went out for drinks after; maybe that would happen again tonight. And he could buy Rose a drink and she would smile at him in her special way and his heart would be warm and light.

Daniel paused. _Professional above all else,_ he reminded himself. _Professional, professional, professional,_ he chanted mentally as he took another tray and began pouring more drinks. He stopped as he heard a man’s deep laugh in the corridor outside. That definitely wasn’t Pom. 

Daniel’s suspicions were confirmed when a strange man entered the kitchen with Rose. They seemed awfully comfortable together. Too comfortable, especially for how handsome and well-dressed this guy was. Judging by the way Rose’s eyes lingered on him, she seemed to think that too.

“Hey Daniel!” Rose said, finally turning to notice him. “Good news, we have some more help! This is Dylan, we’ve met before and we just happened to bump into each other.”

Dylan grinned. “Literally. Nice to meet ya, Dan.”

Daniel gritted his teeth. “Daniel. Likewise.”

Dylan shrugged. “Noted. So, put me to work, Rosie! I’m all yours.”

Rose smiled too much for Daniel’s liking and quickly passed Dylan a tray. “There’s not too much of the party left, so let’s just try to finish strong. You’re doing great, Daniel!”

“What about me?” Dylan teased, jostling her shoulder. “I’m doing great too, right?”

“You haven’t even started yet,” Rose replied drily. “Performance reviews don’t happen until the job is done.”

Dylan smirked. “I’ll do my best. Can’t have a lady disappointed with my performance.”

Before Daniel could process the innuendo, Rose was shooing Dylan out of the kitchen and he was alone again. This time, an acrid taste flooded his mouth and a tight feeling gripped his chest. _How does Rose know him?_

* * * *

“That was crazy!” Rose declared as they strolled through the darkened ballroom. What had been so full of life earlier was now littered with crumpled napkins and abandoned glasses. It would have been sad, had it not been such an excellent party.

“Now that it’s over, I can tell you that I was so worried we wouldn’t make it,” Rose continued. “I feel like something always goes wrong, but everything went okay. Oh, I’m so relieved. Thank you again for helping, Pom and I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Daniel smiled, his dark mood lightening. She hadn’t mentioned Dylan at all. “You’re very welcome. You know, it’s not very late yet. I don’t know about you, but I could use a drink.”

“That sounds good. So, Pom’s returning the van… What about Dylan? Should we ask if he wants to come?”

Daniel tried not to scowl again. Rose probably wouldn’t like that. “No, I’m sure he’d prefer not to join us. Come on, I know a place. Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell that I don't like crowds? Haha. Thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel is the human version of Yelp.

Daniel knew just the place to take Rose. He didn’t go out often, but when he did, it was always to Honey’s. The bar was tucked away behind a sleepy hotel on the outskirts of town. It didn’t look like much on the outside, but the inside was all smooth old wood and gentle lamp lighting. Soft jazz emanated from one corner, and there were always one or two older couples spinning slowly on the dance floor. Daniel didn’t know for sure that they had been coming every week of their long marriages, but it was what he liked to imagine. Honey’s felt warm and timeless. It made Daniel feel safe. He hoped Rose would like it too.

“Is this place okay?” he asked Rose as they walked in the door. “I come here a lot, but we can go somewhere else.”

Rose’s face glowed as she tried to take it all in. “Yeah, it’s kind of great. I didn’t even know there was an art-deco themed bar in town. The woodwork is amazing.”

Daniel beamed. “I’m glad you like it. I bet everyone else at Cater to Me would too, it’s just not exactly the sort of place one stumbles upon on accident.”

“Yeah, I did kind of wonder if you were going to murder me with us coming all the way out here, but I trust you. Want to sit at the bar or grab a table?” Rose asked.

“I like the bar, at least to start. Here, I’m buying.” Daniel pulled out stools for them and waved at the bartender, Dawn. Her eyes bugged out, seeing that he’d finally brought someone there with him, and he shook his head at her. This seemed to be going well so far, he didn’t want Dawn interfering. She hastily rearranged her expression and slid to their end of the bar.

“Hiya! Daniel, welcome back. What can I get you two?”

Rose’s brow furrowed as she stared at the array of liquor behind Dawn. “Hey. I don’t really drink that much, what should I get?”

“Depends… If you have work tomorrow, I’d recommend an aperol spritz. Light, refreshing, no hangover. If you don’t, I’d get a Long Island iced tea. They’re tasty, and you’ll probably be okay if you stick to one. If not, you’ll feel it tomorrow,” Dawn explained.

“You know what, I’ll risk it. Long Island iced tea, please,” Rose ordered.

“And for you, handsome?” Dawn asked, giving Daniel a lascivious wink. He would have been offended were it anyone else, but Dawn managed to pull it off.

Daniel still blushed. “Just an old-fashioned. Thanks, Dawn.”

“You got it!” Dawn nodded. Before they knew it, two drinks had appeared in front of the couple: one squat and deep brown, one tall and amber. Rose reached for hers and took a careful sip.

“Wow, that’s definitely a sippin’ drink,'' Rose laughed. “Dawn was right. How’s yours?”

“Pretty good. I tend to get the same thing every time, I just know what I like.”

Rose nodded. “I get that. You know, I think I’m starting to figure you out, Daniel Yoon.”

Daniel paled, his nerves jumping up to an eleven. “Really, Rose Choi? What have you decided?”

Rose stared at him for a long second before smiling and taking another sip of her drink. “I’ll tell you another time. All good things, I promise. Hey, I know that you knew Yura before. Did she ever tell you how we started Cater to Me?”

Daniel shook his head. He tried to hide his excitement that she  _ thought good things about him  _ and  _ wanted to share with him _ , and just barely succeeded. Taking a hefty gulp of his drink and almost choking on it sure helped.

Rose continued, drawing with her finger in the condensation on the bar top. “We had the idea a few years ago. Yura was finishing her MBA. I was stuck in some soul-killing temp job, and the only thing that made me happy was cooking. It got more and more elaborate: ordering rare ingredients online, building a whole library of cookbooks, staying up way too late waiting for bread to cool or gel ée s to set. When it got to the point that my weekly friend dinners were regularly five or six courses, Yura sat me down and we had a talk. She could tell something wasn’t right. I told her how frustrated I was, how tired of working for someone else, always on someone else’s time. I felt like I wasn’t going anywhere in life, and I was so tired. 

“It was a long talk, but we decided we both needed a change. It started out really small, making cupcakes for kids’ birthday parties on the weekends, but now it’s something I’m really proud of. We got lucky with Yura’s business experience. If it had been anyone else, I don’t think we would’ve managed. But now Cater to Me is just mine and Yura’s, and I really love it. I’ve never told anyone this, but I’m always scared that one event will go wrong and it will all go downhill from there. I’m scared I'll lose everything. This morning was just a horrible taste of that.”

Rose sighed and took a long sip of her drink. “God, I needed this. Your turn, Daniel. I told you something, now you tell me.”

Daniel nervously straightened his tie. “If you insist. Like what?”

“Like, I noticed you got kind of panicky when you didn’t want to serve at the event. Are you okay now?”

“Ah. Yes, absolutely. I just prefer to avoid large groups. They make me uncomfortable.”

Rose cocked an eyebrow. “But small groups are okay?”

“Yes, as long as I know them.” Daniel said quietly. “New people are just a lot to handle. I always spend more time wondering what they’re thinking than actually interacting with them, which can really skew a first impression.”

“Wow, then helping us out tonight took a lot more courage than I thought. Thanks again, Daniel. I’m glad we’re friends,” Rose said, placing a tentative hand on Daniel’s shoulder.

“I am too.”

Suddenly, Rose whipped back her hand and finished her drink. “You know what, I’ll be right back.”

Daniel froze, watching as she jumped off the bar stool and hightailed it to the ladies room.

"You idiot," he cursed himself. "You want to be her friend, but also more. And now you've scared her away. She's probably escaping out the window right now." Daniel shook his head and ordered another drink. Even if Rose had ditched him, he'd wait for her. As long as it took.

He was pleasantly surprised to see Rose approaching him again moments later. He almost choked on his drink, but quickly recovered.

"Sorry about that," Rose apologized. "I just needed a minute." Her face was flushed, but her eyes were bright.

"I understand," Daniel said. "Everything okay?"

"Absolutely," Rose grinned. "Would you like to dance?"

"Yes please." Daniel agreed and held out his hand before she could change her mind. A few other couples dipped and swayed on the dance floor, but there was plenty of room. 

Rose's hands were so gentle as they slid across his shoulders and twined around his neck. Daniel took a shaky breath as he carefully slid his hands around her slim waist. This smart, funny woman grew more precious to him every minute, and he didn't want to break her.

They danced in silence for a moment, learning the rhythm of each other's bodies before swaying with the music. Daniel didn't know the song, but it was something slow and sensual. A woman's deep, bluesy voice wafted through the air like smoke on a breeze. 

After Daniel got over his nerves, happiness overwhelmed him instead. Having Rose in his arms felt so right.  _ Mine,  _ part of his mind whispered before he stopped it.  _ Don't be silly,  _ he told himself.  _ Professionalism.  _ Yet a sharp stab of anger pierced his heart as he remembered Dylan's flirting from earlier. Rose had smiled a lot. Did she want to be flirted with? Did she want Dylan to flirt with her?  _ Screw professionalism _ , he thought as he pulled Rose closer. She sighed in contentment and relaxed into him.

"Is this okay, Rose?" he asked. She nodded slowly, a peaceful smile lingering on her face. 

Daniel cleared his throat and tried to calm his heartbeat. Surely she could hear how it was thundering away in his chest. “You know, I understand how you felt when starting Cater to Me. I felt the same way.”

"Yeah? What did you do?" She murmured.

"I did the same thing. I had a career that I didn't enjoy, so I decided to make my own path. I understand how difficult it is, and I commend you for making such a choice. You are truly your own person. I admire you." Daniel held his breath and waited for Rose's response. 

Nothing happened.

"Rose?" Daniel stopped dancing and looked closely at his partner. Her eyelids fluttered as she sagged in his arms. She had definitely fallen asleep.

“All right, you are definitely a lightweight. You must have been more tired than I thought. Let's get you home.”

He shifted one of Rose's arms across his shoulders and half-carried her back to the bar.

"Dawn, can you call us a cab?"

Dawn turned and her eyes lit up. "Sure thing, lover boy. You bring her back when she's a little more conscious, okay? I can tell you make each other happy."

Daniel blushed furiously. "We're not like that, but thanks. We'll wait outside."

Rose drew his gaze as Daniel lowered her to the bench outside. Exhausted purple circles bloomed under her eyes, but she was still lovely to him. Did he truly make her happy, or was Dawn imagining things that weren't there? He hoped it was the former. He paced and pondered until the cab pulled up a few minutes later.

"Daniel?" The driver asked, slinging one arm out the car window.

"Yes, that's me," Daniel confirmed, bundling Rose into the cab. "Thanks," he said, flopping down in the back seat next to her.

“Where to?” the driver asked.

“I guess we should take her home first,” Daniel said. His head was starting to spin from the alcohol, and coherent thought came slowly. “Um, let me check her license. One minute.”

The driver nodded. She didn’t seem to mind, as long as the meter was running.

Daniel gently lifted Rose’s arm from his shoulder and settled her in one corner of the back seat. He fished her purse from the floor and rifled through it. Pepper spray, breath mints, a bag of peanuts...finally, he found her wallet. He pulled out her license only to see a very familiar address printed on it. He swore under his breath.

“Even your driver’s license has your work address? You work too much…” Daniel muttered.  _ I hope you don’t hate me for this, but I’ll have to take you home with me. Please trust me in the morning. _

Daniel reluctantly gave the driver his address, and they pulled away into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playlist for Honey's:  
> For Me Formidable, Charles Aznavour  
> Summertime, Ella Fitzgerald  
> They Can't Take That Away From Me, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong  
> A Sunday Kind of Love, Etta James  
> Stardust, Ella Fitzgerald  
> Stormy Weather, Etta James  
> The Nearness of You, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose drank too much last night and is still thirsty af. Waking up in Daniel's bed does not help...

Sometimes, sleep comes slowly. Sometimes it hits one so hard that the falling asleep is entirely forgotten. And sometimes one has to chase down the elusive bastard. Waking from the arms of Hypnos varies in much the same way.

On this particular morning, Rose woke slowly, her eyes heavy with sleep. She stretched languidly as memories began to return. A drink that tasted of delight, followed by a moment of panic and hiding in the restroom before returning to dance in the arms of someone she trusted. But try as she might, Rose could not recall how she ended up in a bed that was not hers; a bed that smelled strangely and intoxicatingly of man. It was a mouth-watering lemony smell, with something fragrant and musky underneath. The room was large and airy (and certainly more luxurious than any bedroom Rose had slept in before), but strangely impersonal. The deep blue and emerald green walls would have been appealing to anyone, as would the expansive white bed. Books were the only sign that the room was regularly occupied, and they were everywhere. She was shoving aside the stack on the nightstand to search for her phone when she heard a soft rapping at the door.

Before she could decide on a plan of action (or snoop any further), the doorknob turned and the threat of an intruder was imminent. Rose grabbed the closest possible weapon: a hefty memory-foam pillow. _I guess this’ll have to do,_ she groaned to herself. _What a dumb way to die._

Fortunately, the “intruder” was only Daniel. Unfortunately, the pillow had already left Rose's hands by the time she recognized him. He yelped and scowled at her, but Rose was too distracted to care. He had obviously just showered, and was clad in only a towel around his trim waist. Daniel’s hair was combed back. It made him look older and younger and delicious and _oh_ , Rose _wanted_ him. His palpable sex appeal had not just been the result of expensive suits and good tailoring. Every plane of his body had been lovingly sculpted over much time. His body called out to Rose, whispering that he would be just as attentive and loving with her.

Daniel finally folded his arms and said, “I did knock. Good morning to you too. Are you all right?”

“I guess you did, sorry. I’m okay, but why am I here?”

“I suppose you wouldn’t remember. After last night’s engagement, we went out for a drink. I think you had a bit more than you had intended, and you passed out before I could take you home properly.”

She laughed. “That drink did taste really good, though. I remember that.” Rose’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t spend the night in here, did you?”

“No! No. I spent the night in the guest room, but forgot that all of my clothes were in here until I had already showered,” he said, gesturing at the dresser.

“Oh. Well, that’s all right then. Um, thank you for taking care of me last night. I didn’t do anything embarrassing, did I? I get a little weird when I drink too much.”

“No, your behavior was fine. And you’re very welcome.” Daniel paused. “But you really should update the address on your license, in case you pass out again.”

Rose laughed. “Still as practical as ever, even first thing in the morning.”

“And that very same practicality demands that I be fully clothed before talking any more. So, I’ll get dressed. Coffee?”

Rose nodded. “Yes, please.”

* * * *

Daniel slammed the bathroom door behind him and dropped the clothes he had hastily selected. That had been _far_ more interesting than he’d expected. Rose liked his body. He knew that many women found him appealing, but he had not anticipated any reaction from Rose. Yet she had been transfixed by him when he’d entered the room. He had seen naked want in her eyes, and it thrilled him still.

The more time Daniel spent with Rose Choi, the more he liked her. And not solely in a physical way, either. Daniel chuckled as he remembered how entertaining his guest had been last night. Rose did not need to know about the drunken rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” she’d performed for the taxi driver, nor her insistence on sleeping in the big bed. And she did _not_ need to know about the blatant ass slap as he’d hauled her out of the car. (Surprisingly, Daniel had even liked that more than he could have anticipated.)

But Rose did need to know where the mugs were, so Daniel finished dressing and headed for the kitchen. He paused in the doorway to admire the stunning woman in his kitchen. She was singing some silly little song under her breath as she leaned against the counter. Her hair glowed green in the morning light, lending her an unearthly air. She was a faerie queen from under the hill, but one that had slept in a very rumpled catering uniform. Daniel chuckled at how fanciful his thoughts were becoming. _Too much reading. But Rose truly is a being of contradictions: hard and soft, strange and familiar. I can’t help liking her very much._

She smiled at him as he prepared the coffee maker. They chatted as the coffee brewed, trading small touches and smiles. His coffee tasted deep and bitter, just as he liked it, and he laughed when Rose added an enormous dash of sugar. Rose was telling him about the woman that had approached Pom the previous night when a terrifying idea occurred to Daniel.

“And then she just smiled at him and walked away!” Rose continued. “I thought she was going to yell at him or eat him, but I guess it went pretty well. Can’t wait to ask him what she said; oh, and she was so pretty! Just gorgeous.”

“You’re pretty,” Daniel blurted.

Rose blushed. “I don’t feel pretty first thing in the morning, but thank you.”

Daniel took a deep breath and set his mug on the counter. “I know you don’t exactly recall, but I enjoyed myself last night, and I hope you did too. Would you like to go on a date with me? Perhaps tomorrow night? If you’re not busy, if you are, we can certainly make other plans, my schedule is fairly flexible…” Daniel had started rambling. Daniel felt like an idiot. Daniel never should have started this conversation in the first place. Dying alone was beginning to sound nice, at least in comparison to the sentence that he had created that would never, ever end. Just as Daniel was beginning to wallow in his own thoughts, he heard a noise that snapped him out of it.

“Sure, that sounds great,” Rose agreed.

“What?”

“I said yes, Daniel. It sounds fun.”

“Oh. Oh! Wonderful,” Daniel said, slightly stunned.

“I should probably go home. But text me the details for tomorrow, okay?” She hesitated for a moment before standing on her toes and brushing a gentle kiss against his cheek. “Thanks again for taking care of me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She smiled before tripping lightly out the door.

Daniel collapsed in the nearest chair. _She actually said yes._ And he had nothing planned at all! Nothing was too good for Rose, but he only had a day to prepare. Daniel shot up from his chair and promptly slammed his knee into the table leg. He quickly shook off the pain. It was nothing compared to the need to plan the best, most charming date ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daniel is best boi.


	8. Chapter 8

_8:32 a.m. - Do you like goats?_

_11:13 a.m. - How do you feel about wearing a costume?_

_12:05 p.m. - I’ll pick you up at 6:00. See you then_

“Yura, these are super weird texts. I have no idea what we’re doing or even what to wear,” Rose complained. Yura was still too far away for how bizarre this conversation was, but at least they could video call.

“Babe, two words: don’t. Worryboutit.” Yura shot Rose the finger guns. “Knowing Daniel, it’s way less creepy than it sounds. He’s _soooo_ awkward, but he is, character-wise, an absolute unit. Can’t go wrong, unless you show up wearing an actual goat costume.”

‘Kay, that’s fair. What do you think about this dress, then?” Rose angled the phone so Yura could view the fabric pooled on her bed. The dress was a deep teal, silken and soft. It reminded her of kelp undulating under the surface of a lake. Very calming, which Rose needed for her first real date in years.

“I love that, it makes you look like a Disney princess!” Yura gushed. “You’re gonna look bangin’, and Daniel will _def_ agree. He will _not_ be able to keep his hands off you. I have to go but tell me all the details later, byeeee!”

Rose rolled her eyes and hung up, but she couldn’t help smiling. Yura was flighty and unpredictable, but she was a good business partner and would always be on Rose’s side. She’d be there with inappropriate comments and a smorgasbord of memes, but she’d be there.

An alarm on Rose’s phone reminded her that Daniel would be arriving soon. She jumped up and wrapped herself in the clinging dress, adding a cardigan and comfy flats. _I guess I’m ready for anything,_ Rose thought as she painted on a berry-colored lip stain. She was just passing through a cloud of heliotrope and bergamot perfume when she heard a car pull up outside.

A peek through the curtains revealed Daniel, resplendent in a gray suit, leaning against the hood of a dark blue sports car. Every line was as sleek and smooth as its owner. Rose’s confidence faltered for a moment, sensing the air of power and luxury that radiated from both vehicle and man. Yet anticipation thrummed in every line of Daniel’s body as his fingers nervously tapped on the car and fiddled with his tie. Rose laughed and straightened her shoulders as she found her purse and flew out the door. _He’s just as excited as you are,_ she reminded herself. _It’s okay to be nervous, but you’re going to have a great time._

Rose’s nerves fluttered until she was seated in the car. Then she thought of something much more entertaining. “Daniel, why did you ask if I like goats?”

“I was brainstorming. There’s a goat rescue the next town over where you can go and play with baby goats, and the costume thing was a murder mystery dinner.”

Rose chuckled. “That’s a relief. It sounded like weird sex stuff.”

Daniel’s mouth dropped open in a shocked O before he scrambled to say, “ _Oh._ Rose, I am _so sorry_ , I would never--”

“It’s okay, Daniel. Just not on the first date.” Rose winked, savoring her date’s expression.

A slow crimson brush stained Daniel’s ears as he processed what she’d said. “Very well then. But instead of those options, we’re going to dinner and then dancing. Does that sound all right?”

Rose agreed, and they were soon deep in a conversation about the merits of baked brie and honey as an appetizer. The sky had darkened on the road ahead when she observed the developing frown on Daniel’s face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing really, but the traffic has become much worse than it was originally. We’re about to miss our reservation.”

Rose shrugged. “It’s okay if we do. You know I like food, but it doesn’t have to be fancy. We could always get something else, maybe at the night market.”

“The what?” Daniel said, taking his eyes off the road to shoot Rose a puzzled glance.

“Oh, it’s so fun!” she said, her face brightening. “It’s only open once a month, and everyone comes from all over to enjoy it. Want to go?”

Daniel’s shoulders drooped and he looked terribly flustered, but he nodded all the same. Rose sat back as he navigated toward the night market. Daniel’s plans had obviously been ruined, but Rose knew she could make up for it.

* * * *

The night market was unlike Daniel anything had expected. He’d imagined some kind of supermarket that was only open once a month, and thought it a very strange business model. Instead of some fluorescent-lit hell, Rose pulled him into a shimmering maze of stalls and plazas. People and music crowded him on every side, pushing past the colorful fabrics and other wares. Bouquets of shocking orange tiger lilies, deep crimson roses and trailing tendrils of ivy lurked around one corner. Sizzling fryers and the cries of strange birds assaulted his ears. Daniel flinched as a long column of steam shot toward him, evaporating at the last second. He glared at the old man operating the pressure cooker, and heard his cackle before he was again swallowed up in the crowd. 

The night market felt like a dream, but Rose’s hand in his own kept Daniel grounded. She stopped to buy a bucket of shellfish and two beers before leading him to a secluded corner of the market. Strains of mariachi music floated on the breeze as Daniel brushed off their moonlit table and sat down.

Rose smiled shyly at him. “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? We can leave if you’re uncomfortable.”

“No, it’s fascinating,” Daniel said. “I’m just glad to absorb everything for a moment. It’s quite an experience.”

“Yes. Come on, dig in.”

Daniel stared with apprehension at the bucket of shellfish. A salty, buttery, fresh smell wafted up to his nose. The bucket was mostly shrimp, but the sight of crawfish made his stomach heave. He swallowed hard. “I’ll peel all the shrimp if you peel the others, does that sound fair?”

“Sure, but there’s definitely more shrimp. You sure?”

“ _Yes._ The legs are abominable, I don’t touch things that have that many legs.” Daniel shuddered, and Rose laughed at him again. He would usually mind, but her laugh was so warm and guileless that he found himself laughing along.

When they had shucked half the bucket, Rose sat back and took a long pull of her beer. “So, what did you do before you came here? Was there someone else you had to yell at about breach of contract and payroll reports?”

“I never yelled at you,” Daniel rolled his eyes. “But yes, in a way. I do have a business degree, but software development is what really interests me.” He took a deep breath. “I was a very awkward child, more interested in my books than anyone around me. I always wished for a way to interact with people that would still shield me from them. A few years ago, I built an app that would do just that. The market hadn’t yet been saturated, so it became very popular.”

“Wow. Anything I’ve heard of?” 

He paused and took a long drink. “I doubt it. You’re not really the intended demographic. Anyway, the app grew much faster than expected. My partner and I had to build a company from scratch and solve all the problems that came along with unprecedented growth. I tried to run it myself for a few months, but you know that I’m not exactly a people person, and I needed a lot more of those skills than I had thought. My partner Andrew runs it now, while I focus on possible updates. Big picture stuff.”

“And that’s why you could drop everything to come help us with Cater to Me,” Rose said.

Daniel nodded, and her lips curved into a smile. “I’m glad. And I have to say, I feel much less concerned now about being on a date with someone who is technically an employee.”

“Yes, no concern needed,” Daniel chuckled.

They spoke for a few more long, sweet moments before rising to explore the rest of the market. With Rose being who she was, exploring meant eating. Black pepper buns inflamed Daniel’s mouth with their spicy, savory heat, and only the sweet florals of a cup of lychees could soothe it. Cloudy webs of candy floss drifted between his lips, washed down with syrupy sips of rose bubble tea. He drank in Rose’s expression as she savored tiny wedges of fresh, dripping mango and licked the juices from her fingers. 

Daniel had never been so jealous of anyone’s hands. Heat rushed through him and he stepped closer to Rose, taking her hand and pulling her close. She stared up at him with hope in her eyes and stepped even closer. He was leaning down to kiss her when Rose’s eyes glanced past his shoulder and widened in surprise. 

“Akira?” 

Anger spiked in Daniel when a heavy weight thrust him away from Rose and almost knocked him off his feet.

“ROSE!” the man yelled. Daniel stared in disbelief at the other man who was now clutching Rose tightly. Tonight was supposed to be Daniel and Rose’s date; this man had definitely not been invited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose's perfume is Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude. If you've never smelled it, it's lovely. Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New character alert! Akira, Lucas, and a mystery third one. Stay tuned for more.

Daniel flinched as a firm hand clapped him on the shoulder. Another man had followed the grabby one, and the irritation on his face mirrored Daniel’s. 

“Annoying, right? You’ll need to give him a minute, he’s impossible to pry off. Trust me, I’ve tried,” the dark-haired man sighed. Judging by the way the first man was nuzzling into Rose’s neck and completely ignoring staring passers-by, this was a fair assessment.

Daniel grunted in acknowledgement. He took his time straightening his tie, smoothing his hair, and infinitesimally adjusting his French cuffs. And the man was  _ still _ hanging on Rose, despite her constant admonishments.

“Akira? Akira…. Akira! Get off! People are staring... I am on a _ date _ !" Rose thumped Akira soundly on the back, and he finally stepped back, but kept his hands on her waist.

“Wait...you’re on a date?! With  _ whom _ ? I didn’t see anyone.”

“My friend Daniel. He’s right there by Lucas,” Rose said, gesturing at them and folding her arms tightly.  _ Sorry,  _ she mouthed to Daniel, and his bad mood lightened slightly.

Akira’s eyes widened, and he finally released Rose as he turned toward Daniel. “Oh! My apologies. I’m Akira, and that’s Lucas. I’ve known Rose for ages, but it’s been a while, so I was thrilled to see her.” He gazed at Daniel appraisingly, cold blue eyes hidden behind reflective glasses. Other people were staring as well, including one dark-haired man giving them both an incensed look and an older lady clucking her tongue, but Akira’s gaze was piercing. Daniel felt like a bird caught in a bush, and Akira was the child who would either rescue him or poke him with a stick.

But he only sniffed and turned back to Rose. “Not your usual type, but I suppose he has a certain appeal. Now darling, let’s get you a frozen margarita and you can tell me all about what you’ve been up to.”

Rose frowned. “Akira, I’m here with Daniel--”

“And he can wait for twenty minutes while I catch up with my precious guildmate. Come, to the frozen margarita stall!” Off they went, Akira sweeping Rose along despite her protests. Daniel and Lucas exchanged an exasperated look before following the pair.

Twenty minutes of course became forty, and forty turned to sixty.

“Just one more nibble,” Akira kept saying. “Come, the next vendor awaits us!” He brushed away all of Rose’s protests, one hand constantly on her waist or her wrist or her neck. Daniel didn’t understand how Akira dared to be so clingy and pushy with Rose. But Daniel didn’t want to embarrass Rose, so as long as she wasn’t in danger, he could only watch as Akira hijacked his date. 

Daniel tried to wait patiently. But everything that had once tasted so sweet turned to bitterness in his mouth. The blood orange segment he sampled was unripe and acrid on his tongue, and a dark chocolate tart left behind a sharp, disagreeable aftertaste. 

Each moment was excruciating, but Akira showed no sign of leaving Rose’s side. Daniel had finally had enough. He would reclaim Rose’s attention, one way or another. He smirked as an idea sidled into his mind. Hopefully she wouldn’t mind.

* * *

Rose nodded along as Akira was explaining the speed run he’d tried to play last night. She would usually be more attentive, but Akira wasn’t  _ listening _ to her and her feet ached. And Daniel was silent, but obviously displeased. How disappointing. Their date had been going so well before Akira and Lucas interrupted.

She sighed as Akira pulled her over to another stall, this one full of exotic birds for sale. Rose bent to read the labels on each cage: lorikeet, kingfisher, long-tailed sylph, and so many more.

“What gorgeous birds,” she murmured. “I wonder if you mind being kept like this, or if you feel safe instead?” They stared at her haughtily, feathers gleaming jewel-toned in the glow of the fairy lights overhead. None answered, obviously, but a kingfisher did try to peck at her outstretched finger before she snatched it back.

“Aren’t you as fetching as can be!” Akira cooed to one particularly regal scarlet macaw. “Lucas, I think we need this bird for the shop. No, we most definitely do.”

“Akira, no.” Lucas said. “What a weird thing to have at a gaming store.”

“Psh,” Akira scoffed. “It’ll be our thing. A publicity gimmick, think of the marketing opportunities.”

“No,” Lucas continued to insist. “You’d get tired of it after a week.” They kept bickering as Rose circled the stall. When she was out of their sight, a firm hand gripped her wrist. Rose panicked. But before she could object, she was yanked behind a nearby fence and cradled possessively against a man’s chest.

Just as she was drawing breath to yell at him, the man hurriedly said, “Rose, it’s Daniel. Are you okay?”

“Oh, Daniel!” She sighed in relief. He was looking unusually handsome, with that concerned look on his face and his arms twined about her waist. She liked being so close to him. “Yes, I’m fine. That was sneaky. Um, I’m not opposed to this, but what are we doing?”

“Well… I wanted to talk to you. And I wanted to do this.” Daniel carefully cupped her chin in one hand and brought his lips to hers. The first kiss was feather-soft, his lips gently brushing hers. The second, less gentle, as she rushed to kiss him back. She melted into his arms as they continued kissing, each more fiery than the last. Daniel kissed just as Rose had expected: intensely, yet carefully. He drew away after a few heated minutes, but  _ oh _ , how Rose wished he hadn’t. That was, until she remembered they were technically still in public. People still strolled and laughed just on the other side of a thin fence. The thought made her heart pound deliciously.

“Rose,” Daniel whispered, close against her ear. His body pressed against hers in a  _ very _ distracting manner. “I’ve enjoyed the night market very much, but I believe it’s time to move on to the rest of our date. Shall we go make our excuses to your friends?”

“Yes, please,” she agreed. Rose was drunk on the feel of him, and hungry for more.

They told Akira and Lucas they were leaving (despite Akira’s complaints; Lucas had to promise him deep-fried ice cream to stop him sulking), and walked hand-in-hand through the crowd back to Daniel’s car.

Rose found everything he did to be utterly, irrevocably sexy. The way he leaned in to help with her seatbelt. The half-smile he threw her as they waited at a red light. How he laid his arm across the back of her seat to help him parallel park. She clenched her thighs together tightly, trying to stave off the desire that throbbed between her legs.  _ Please let him not just be dropping me off,  _ she prayed.

Daniel, ever the gentleman, helped her out of the car and walked her to her door. He leaned in, pressing her against her door, for a few more burning kisses. A teasing smile graced Rose’s face, and she tugged Daniel into her apartment after her by his tie. He complied so willingly, he must have been hoping for this too. He hummed contentedly as his mouth found hers again and he set about kissing her as thoroughly as possible. They stumbled to the couch and Rose straddled his lap, loosening his tie with one hand and mapping his strong chest with the other. She could feel how much he wanted her;  _ ugh, this man is going to ruin me, _ she thought.  _ I can’t wait. _

“ _ Damn _ , you feel good,” Rose moaned as Daniel began massaging and stroking her nipples through her dress. Her head spun as she became more and more intoxicated with his scent and his touch.

“Not as good as you,” he said breathlessly. Daniel flipped them over and pressed against her, heat rising between them as he kissed her again. One of his hands slid beneath the surface of her silken dress, reaching up to cup and stroke the soft curve of her ass. Want surged from deep within, threatening to overwhelm her. It was both so close and so far from where she really wanted his hands to be, but Rose could be patient. 

She fervently hoped she was wearing good underwear, at least the lacy ones, but she was too distracted right now to give it more than a passing thought. She did finally notice that Daniel was between her legs, his body hard and wanting, and her skirt was rucked up to her waist. If she was going to follow her first-date rule, she had to do it  _ now _ .

Rose sighed regretfully as Daniel was sucking a love bite into her neck and fiddling with the fastenings of her dress. “Daniel, we should probably stop.”

“Hmm? Oh...” Daniel stilled and placed a tender kiss on Rose’s neck. “Yes. I apologize, I got carried away.”

“I did too.” Rose bit her lip. “I like you a lot, but this is about as far as I want to go right now. If that’s okay with you.”

“It is. I don’t consider sex to be a first date activity either.” He awkwardly sat up and helped Rose adjust her skirt again, pointedly avoiding eye contact. “This isn’t something I do very often. And I’ve never liked anyone as much as I like you, so I want to avoid anything that would make you unhappy.”

Rose blushed. She appreciated his honesty, but where was all of this coming from?

He stared at her for a long moment, his face oddly grave. She still didn’t understand how anyone could be so handsome in real life. “Actually, there was something I wanted to discuss with you. Rose, I think you are wonderful. You’re funny, and strong, and you take my breath away. You’ve become very important to me. May I court you?”

“You want to court me?” Rose asked.  _ What does that even mean? _

Daniel nodded quickly, that same serious look on his face. _ He’s not mad, _ Rose realized.  _ He’s nervous. How cute. _

“If that means we can keep spending time together and making out, absolutely,” Rose said, gently tracing the side of his face with one hand.

Daniel grinned, taking her hand. “Yes, it does. That’s exactly what it means.”

Rose shrugged, smiling stupidly wide. “Then I’m all in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALL ABOARD THE S.S. SMUT (hopefully y'all liked it, it's very new to me. More coming soon)


End file.
